1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a clamping joint system for detachably connecting two elements, of which at least one comprises an undercut longitudinal groove and the other one comprises a receiving space formed therein, comprising a clamping element, which can be inserted into the receiving space, be clamped in the longitudinal slot and which comprises anchor elements, which can be clamped against the undercut of the longitudinal groove by actuating an actuation member.
2. Discussion
Such clamping joint systems are for example used in building up shelf systems, fair structures and the like. Herein, individual elements are joined with a rapid junction technique by means of clamping joint systems, such that a quick mounting and dismounting of the shelf system, the fair structures or the like is possible. For this, a quick and simple handling of the clamping joint system is advantageous.
A high number of clamping joint systems, which meet these requirements, are known. Thus, DE 42 39 199 A1 for example shows a clamping joint, by means of which two profile elements, of which at least one comprises an undercut longitudinal slot and the other one comprises a rectangular hollow section, can be connected to each other. The profile elements shown in this document are obviously metal or plastic profiles, wherein usually extruded metal or aluminium profiles are used in the field of fair building. A support member, which comprises a housing and in which a holding element in form of a leaf spring comprising formed elements for engagement into an undercut longitudinal slot of an adjacent profile, which holding element can be actuated by a cam, is inserted in the hollow section of the one profile.
DE 198 17 427 A1 shows a clamping joint, in which a hook element can be actuated by means of an eccentric screw or a countersunk head bolt for engaging in an undercut longitudinal slot of a profile element. Herein, the clamping joint itself is inserted in a case-like hollow section of a second profile element. The clamping joint is held in this hollow section in that an insertion tower of the screw engages in an opening formed in the profile element.
Furthermore, EP 1 234 985 A2 describes a clamping joint system for the detachable junction of two elements, of which at least one comprises an undercut longitudinal slot and the other one comprises a receiving space formed therein, comprising a clamping element, which can be inserted into the receiving space, be clamped in the longitudinal slot and which comprises anchor elements, which can be clamped against the undercut of the longitudinal slot by actuating an actuation member. The clamping joint system comprises an adapter element for receiving the clamping element, wherein the adapter element, which has received the clamping element, can be inserted into the receiving space. The clamping element and the adapter element can be joined to each other with positive fit and for this purpose corresponding junction structures are respectively formed at these elements, wherein snap-in cams are formed at the clamping element as junction structures and corresponding recesses, which cooperate with the snap-in cams, are formed at the adapter element. The clamping element comprises a housing and the snap-in cams are formed by sections, which project over the housing, of a guiding and expanding pin, which is placed in a transverse direction to the housing and which traverses the housing on two sides, for a leaf spring element that is placed in the housing and comprises the anchor elements. The respectively corresponding junction structures, which consist of snap-in cams at the clamping element and of recesses provided at the adapter element, hold the clamping element safely in the adapter element, such that the clamping element cannot work loose unvoluntarily from the adapter element, but these junction structures are not able to prevent a certain play of the clamping element in the mounted state, so that the clamping element can move relatively to the adapter element in the receiving space.
Based upon this state of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clamping joint system of the initially mentioned type, which assures a safe fixation of the clamping element in the receiving space and efficiently minimizes the freedom of motion of the clamping element in the receiving space.
The clamping joint system according to the present invention for the detachably connecting two elements, of which at least one comprises an undercut longitudinal groove and the other one comprises a receiving space formed therein, comprises a clamping element, which can be inserted into the receiving space and which comprises a housing and anchor elements, which can be clamped against the undercut of the longitudinal groove by actuating an actuation member. According to the invention, an outer surface of the clamping element housing comprises an elevation, which is formed such that it provides a tolerance compensation between the clamping element housing and a surface of the element comprising the receiving space, when the clamping element is inserted in the receiving space, in order to assure that the housing of the, clamping element and the actuation member, which is inserted in the housing, are correctly positioned with respect to each other. In this way, a wrong alignment of the clamping element with the actuation member can be prevented, so that the actuation member can always be inserted into the clamping element without any problems and can correspondingly be actuated without any problems.
Preferably, the elevation is placed in the proximity of the actuation member in the assembled state of the clamping joint system. In this way, an optimum function of the elevation is assured. Herein, the elevation preferably projects less than about 3.5 mm. On the one hand, this is sufficient for assuring a correct function; on the other hand, the mounting of the clamping element in the receiving space is not unnecessarily impeded.
Furthermore, another advantageous embodiment of the invention proposes that the clamping joint system comprises a leaf spring element placed in a housing of the clamping element, which leaf spring element has an opening, through which the actuation member is passed, wherein the opening comprises, along the periphery thereof, at least one shoulder, which differs from the regular contour.
The actuation member preferably comprises an eccentric, which, when the leaf spring element and the actuation member are mounted, cooperates with the edge of the opening of the leaf spring element, if the actuation member makes a rotational movement, in order to clamp the anchor elements in the longitudinal slot in this way.
The opening of the leaf spring element preferably comprises, along the periphery thereof, several shoulders differing from the regular circular contour, which cut the circular contour in form of secants, such that support areas for the eccentric of the actuation member are formed, which prevent turning of the leaf spring element inside the clamping element during actuation of the actuation member.
The actuation member advantageously comprises a structure, which essentially corresponds to the shoulder, at a portion that has to be passed through the opening. In this way, the actuation member can be arrested at the leaf spring element after its insertion by means of a slight rotation of the actuation member.
A stop is preferably provided at the clamping element, which stop cooperates with a shoulder of the actuation member serving as stop, and which limits the rotation of the actuation member in both directions. Thus, a defined actuation of the actuation member is assured.
In a respective stop position of the actuation member, the cooperating stop faces of the stop and of the shoulder of the actuation element serving as stop are preferably formed such that they are essentially facing each other in parallel and dash against each other in a correspondingly plane way, whereby the functioning of the actuation member is improved and the wear of the stop faces is reduced.
Furthermore, the actuation member is advantageously spring-weighed by a spring element in such a way that one portion of the actuation member projects beyond the housing of the clamping element, wherein the actuation member can be immersed in the housing by pushing it inwards against the spring resistance, such that the clamping element with the adapter element mounted thereon can be inserted into the receiving space and joined by means of the spring-weighed actuation member, which snaps in a corresponding opening in the receiving space with its portion that projects beyond the housing. During such a pressing in, the actuation member having a shoulder edge leans with this edge on a shoulder, which is formed in the opening of the leaf spring element. On the one hand, this causes the leaf spring element to follow the motion and not to work loose from the eccentric at the actuation member. On the other hand, a tilting motion of the actuation member is prevented.
The spring element is preferably held at a spring element holding device provided at the clamping element, which holding device can have the form of a spring thorn or can be alternatively a cylinder, which surrounds the spring element in form of a corresponding recess in the actuation member. The spring element holding device supports the spring element in the actuation member, in order to facilitate the installation of the actuation member and to prevent a bending in the wrong direction of the spring element.